Croissants with Nutella Recipe - Celebrating World Nutella Day 2015

It was a perfect snowy day here to indulge with my  Nutella filled Croissants

I haven't made real croissants in ages as I usually make a fast and yummy yogurt crescent that suits me just fine. However I have been wanting to test out a new stone ground flour that I am not able to buy locally on a variety of breads and pastry so I know how it turns out. It is not a white white flour and it is somewhat gritty, so it is important to know how it acts when making a variety of breads or pastries before I serve it to guests. I already learned that it is quite fragile when making thin crust pizzas for the wood oven, so I am still tweaking on that recipe. I found that this flour makes a beautiful croissant, full of flavor and an enchanting golden color. I used my natural wild yeast, sometimes called  sour dough,  that gave the finished product just a nice tang that cut through the butteriness. What's not to love?

My batch of croissants 

I won't kid you, it does take a bit of time to make these, and they are a bit fiddly, but the flavor and satisfaction are worth the effort. I feel the same about puff pasty and danish, which are the same process of building up layers of flour and butter through rolling out and folding, letting the dough rest in the cold and knowing just the right timing for the best results that it might be a tad daunting. However, I think you will find once you get the hang of it all they are a delight to make and even nicer to share with the ones you love or maybe someone you want to impress.

Tea for three

Roll em up

World Nutella Day is an event created by Sara Rosso of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle Fabio of Bleeding Espresso, just for fun and for the love of this Italian national chocolate hazelnut treat. They put this event together a few years ago and then it disappeared for a few years whilst the owners of the Nutella company figured out how to join in the fun. So this year it's back and here's my offering for a great way to enjoy Nutella, slathered generously on a freshly baked croissant. I did make mine from scratch over a 3 day period. You of course can do the same or you can buy some and bring them home to enjoy at your leisure, naturally.

Wild Yeast Croissants filled with Nutella

If you are interested in making them, I used Jeffery Hamelman's Classic Croissants recipe that uses American measurements and you will find that recipe here. If you prefer your measurements in metric, as I do now, you can find the metric variation of that recipe here.
Both recipes are clearly explained and beautifully illustrated with photos to make your project come together easily.

I hope you enjoy making them as much as I did and hope you have a wonderful World Nutella Day every day.

Fabrizio enjoying one for the camera

World Nutella Day 2013 - Nutella Frolla Bites

Way Hey, It's World Nutella Day

Mini muffin type  sweet pastry cups,  filled with Nutella goodness inside

What can I say? I live in the Italian province of Piedmont, where Nutella was born, so I can not resist joining the World Nutella Day celebrations that started a few years back. This event was conceived and spearheaded by Sara Rosso, who writes the Ms Adventures in Italy blog, amongst all the many other hats she wears and Michelle Fabio who too wears many hats of which the blog Bleeding Espresso  is one of her creations. You can learn more about World Nutella Day here.  I have a few recipe offerings from past  years that you might want to check out after you try this one.I'll put some links at the botton of the post. I have to say that we are all rather taken with this one and think it will make it into the rotation a little more frequently that maybe it should. It's basically a cookie cup filled with Nutella creaminess. They keep well in a cookie tin and served with a little caramel or chocolate sauce, they can double as an easy dessert in a pinch. I find it a delight alongside an afternoon espresso. Mmm, Mmmmm. Give it a whirl and see what you think.

Two crusted pasta Frolla bites. I ran out of tops for the last one, but it tasted just fine.

Nutella Frolla Bites

Yields: 24 double crusted mini bites

Oven Temperature: 350*F / 180*C

Pasta Frolla dough:

2 c (280g) plain flour
1 tsp (4g) baking powder (about half a package that you find here in Italy)
1/2 c (100g) sugar
Zest of 1 orange or lemon, I like to use a rasp micorplane, just try not to get any of the white pith
Pinch salt
4 ounces (110g) unsalted butter, chilled but not straight out of the refrigerator, cut into small pieces

1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

Nutella Filling

Method:
Measure your flour into a largish bowl (Italians often make this directly on the wood work table)
Add the baking powder, salt, citrus zest, and sugar. Lightly stir to mix all. Drop the cold butter into the flour mixture. Either cut the butter into the mixture or use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour quickly to get small clumps and it starts to form a dough. Work quickly so the butter doesn't get too soft. Make a shallow well and add the whole egg and yolk. Mix in a circular motion until the dough begins to come together. Form in to a cohesive dough, Cover and refrigerate at least an hour. You can leave it overnight if you prefer.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4'/ 1cm thickness. 
Make the bases larger than the diameter of the mini muffin tin. I used a round cookie cutter to make the bases slightly larger bottoms than the tops if you have a couple of sizes. I couldn't find my set of cutters, so the tops were the same size as the bases and bigger than needed. Place the pastry disc into a greased and floured (or a no stick) mini muffin pan, or petit four cups. Press the dough in lightly. Place a small dollop of Nutella into the depression. Cover the filled bases. I either tucked the top into the depression of the filled base or pinch the dough around the edges. I didn't seal it and used a light touch. They seemed to self seal when baked. 
Bake the bites at 350*F / 180*C for about 15-20 minutes till they start to get some color, but be careful not to over bake.
Cool slightly before removing from the muffin tins, to cool completely.
Delicious warm or cold.
I think you'll find they disappear quickly.

Viva la Nutella!

Inside the folla bites

My other World  Nutella Day recipes:

- Nutella Crumb Crostata

- Nutella Cornetti/ Hazelnut cream filled pastry horns 

- Banana Nutella Cakelettes/Tortino di Banana e Nutella

- Bugie al Carnevale / Nutella filled Fried Dough

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins for Your Honey

Nothing says loving, like something from your oven, and something made fresh from your oven will say it best. Yes, those of you from the US and of a certain age, will probably remember this as little jingle that one particular baking company used to hawk their products. It was a memorable one as I can still hear it jangling through my head. Well, I have always maintained that your own scratch recipes are tastier and more memorable than a packet or the refrigerator. This is a variation on my general "go to" muffin recipe that I endlessly vary. I am constantly aiming to make my baked goods more healthy and still be a welcome treat. To that end the results can be varied. This muffin is not overly sweet, moist. comes together easily and is delicious, even after a couple of days languishing in a covered tin. This my version for my funny valentine with whom I am celebrating our anniversary today. And because "nothing says loving, like something from my oven", here is my offering, amore mio. Tiamo tanto!
Hope you love em too.

 

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yields 10-12 medium muffins

Ingredients 

2-3 bananas, medium, very ripe, mashed

1 egg

1/2 c (1/2 bicchiere) oil, I use light flavored olive oil, butter if you prefer

1/2 c (1/2 bicchiere)yogurt, plain 

1 c (1 bicchiere) brown sugar, I used muscovado

1 tsp vanilla if desired

pinch salt

1 c whole wheat or farro flour

1 c white flour, plain or all purpose

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c 1/2 bicchiere) chocolate chips, I used dark chocolate mini chips

Pecans or walnuts would be a nice yet optional addition

Mash your bananas and set aside

In a roomy medium to large mixing bowl, whisk together your egg and sugar till fluffy.

Add the oil, mix

Add the yogurt and vanilla, mix

Combine separately your two flours, baking powder and salt.

Add to the wet ingredients and start to mix lightly. 

Add the chocolate chips and combine until just barely mixed.

Scoop with a ice cream scoop if you have one into pregreased muffin tins.

I have some shallow ones that I like very much for a more compact muffin disk.

Bake at 375*F (190*C) in a preheated oven for about 15  minutes, depending on the size of the muffins.

Serve warm or room temperature. 

Store extra in a air tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, They also freeze well.

Happy Valentines Day!

Benvenuta "La Befana" with Lavender Limoncello Stars

Were you naughty or nice? Coal or treats that is the question come the 6th of January in Italy. You just need to see what was left in your stocking to come to some sort of conclusion. I have written a number of posts over the years about the Italian tradition of La Befana, so I thought I might put up some links to blog posts past. Befana is an interesting mixture of what to me seems like Halloween and Christmas. Befana is a kindly old woman or witch on a broomstick who flies everywhere on the night before Epiphany or 12th night as it is also called, and either fills up your stockings, that should have been hung by the chimney with care, with treats or small presents, or you get a lump of coal. Fortunately, for Italian children, the lumps of coal have been transformed into black confections that make for a more more pleasant time taking your lumps of coal in stride.

Here are a few links to previous posts I've posted over the years. some have more of the story of La Befana's origins and others are recipes for dishes designed to serve on a Befana menu.

• "La Befana" has arrived
• "Le Befana" came and went
• Away with la Befana and a Carmelle di pasta per la Befana

Martha over at Go Italy has a great post on the origins of la Befana, that you might enjoy reading.

I also made some cookies this year called La Befana Stars. This version is a departure from the usual anise flavored variety and met with an appreciative round of approval. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a photo of them before they were all given away and eaten right up. Any size star cookie vutter will do. You can make a milk glaze and add sprinkles or just give them a dusting of powdered sugar. This was a great way to use some of my home made limoncello and abundance of lavender from our garden.

Head over to  "The Leftover Queen" to check out Jen's version of the La Befana traditional recipe for what are usually anise flavored cut out star cookies. You'll find the recipe in it's entirety. 

After the harvest, Schiacciata con l'uva or Grape Foccacia

So now that our grapes have been harvested, you might wonder what to do with all of those grapes when they seen to be coming out of your ears.

Naturally, everyone mostly everyone makes wine, but the wine grapes are so wonderfully sweet and delicious, that if you can stop yourself from devouring them by the bunch, you might want to toss some on your favorite focaccia or flat bread  recipe. Squish them into the dough, sprinkle some coarse sugar on top, and drizzle some light flavored olive oil and/or melted butter over it all. Bake till fragrant, gooey, purpley, and golden, and  enjoy as a sweet treat a the end of your meal or for breakfast like we do at our house this time of the year.

In our part of the world this is called Schiacciata con l'uva, or grape foccacia. It is usually made during the grape harvest and is a specialty of the Tuscany region. We, northerners, do enjoy this seasonal treat as well and can be found gracing the bread shops daily offerings on occasion. Schaiacciata derives from the verb schiacciare, which means to crush, smash, squash or trounce. I think you get the picture. It should come as no surprise then that this flat bread has squashed grapes stuck all over it before letting it rise up around the grapes before popping it into the oven for a chewy, grapey, luscious delight.  

 

Italians don't mind seeds in their olives or grapes, as they contend that is gives you more flavor than when the seed are removed before baking. I tend to fluctuate on this tradition depending on my mood. Fabrizio has convinced me that a few little seeds just add a bit of roughage to ones diet and quite frankly the sweetest grapes are oftentimes quite small and so I find I mind them all that much. I suspect it's just what you get use to. I will usually cut the grapes in half and scrape out the seeds before plunging them into my fluffy dough.
Traditionally, this is made as a single layer bread in a round or rectangular pan. I discovered that if you make two layers it turns into a gooey concoction bordering on the divine. Adjust the amounts of sugar and oil to achieve your preferred result, dry or gooey. 

Schiacciata con l'uva or Grape Foccacia

Ingredients

• 1 package instant dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
• pinch fine sea salt
  
• 1 Tb sugar or honey
  
• 3/4 c (160g) warm water (110–115°F)
•  fresh rosemary, 2 or 3 inch piece
  
•  3 c (300g) all-purpose or Italian "00" flour
• 1/4 cup  olive oil, light flavored or melted butter if you prefer
• 1/2 c (95g) sugar, white or brown, coarse or granulated (you could drizzle honey instead of the sugar on top for an Etruscan touch)
• 1 1/2 pounds (1/2 kilo) Concord or sweet wine grapes (3 1/2 c)

Method

The dough:
Gently warm the oil with the rosemary branch and set aside to cool.
Stir together the tablespoon of sugar or honey and warm water in a large bowl.
Stir in the flour, sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of aromatic oil. 
Knead dough on a floured work surface, adding a bit more flour if necessary to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic but still soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
Try to not get the dough too firm.
Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
Let rise in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes to an hour.

Turn dough onto floured work surface.
Cut dough in half.
Lightly roll out 1 piece of dough,  retaining much of your air in the dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled rectangular or 10" round pan. Stretch to fit if needed.

Scatter half of the grapes** over dough.
Sprinkle part of the sugar and drizzle part of the oil over as well.
Roll out remaining piece of dough in same manner and place on top of grapes, gently stretching dough to cover grapes.
Scatter remaining grapes on top. Gently press into dough.
Top with remaining sugar and drizzle with the  aromatic oil.
Cover pan with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until light and almost doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake schiacciata in middle of oven until well browned, juicy and firm in middle, about  40 to 45 minutes depending on your oven.
Loosen sides and bottom of schiacciata with a spatula and slide onto a rack to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cooks' note:  I have used local varieties like Barbarosso and Barbera, although Uva Frogola is a traditional choice.   Concord grapes are a good variety to use.
* *I bow to most people's preference to remove as many of the seeds as possible by cutting in half and scrapping many of the seeds out.  Your  grapes will be very juicey and I make sure to retain all of that juice as possible by performing this process directly over each layer of dough.
Traditionally the grapes are added whole and squashed into the dough to release their juices.

Almost 6 Feet Under and Marmelatta di Zucca

They say it was over 1.6 meters in 24 hours, that's 5 ft or a bit more.
It cleared briefly last night but there is more snow on the way.

Our entrance to our flat.


In the neighborhood

Digging his way to to get the chickens

Disappearing chicken coop

The road beyond us toward the garden.

Another Val Chisone extreme weather event.
2 years ago we didn't have any snow or winter and the spring arrived almost a month early. This year we had a fairly normal winter and then we had a very soggy late spring and everything has been arriving very late this year. Now we have a very early winter with record snow.
Latest update. Now it's raining on top of our 6 ft of snow. The rivers are overflowing and they are watching the Po in Torino and all the way down to Rome, where it has been raining non stop whilst we were getting snow. Strange days indeed

So nothing left to do make Pumpkin Jam or Marmellata di Zucca.
Once done, slather some on your favorite tea biscuit or do like Fabrizio's grandmother, and make a sandwich of Pavesini biscotti and dunk them in for tea, or for a more grown up addition, vin santo, marsala or something along those lines.
I actually double this recipe as we have quite a bit of pumpkin and the moment and it made a delicious crostata filling.

Marmellata di Zucca

• 500 g (1+pound) pumpkin or butternut type of solid squash, cut up in medium pieces

• 200 g(1 cup) sugar
  

• zest of one lemon

Other optional additions

• 50 g (1/2 c) toasted walnuts or pecans

• 100 g sultanas or dry cranberries softened in a splash of warm cognac,
  
• Vecchia Romagna, comes to mind

Combine the sugar, lemon zest and pumpkin in a large heavy bottom sauce pan. Gently simmer until soft. I usually smash the mixture after it starts to soften to encourage to break down and cook a little faster. Stir occasionally. Add additional ingredients just before the mixture is done.
Cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.
I never bother to jar it as it usually gets used up rather quickly.